How does trackable exchange work at events?

[+Cat_Fish]

Hi cachers!

 

I'm not quite a newbie to Geocaching, but I am attending my first event today!

 

I have about a dozen trackables I'm working on moving- some I've had for longer than others, and I'd love to exchange most of them at the event. How does that work?! Do I need to "drop" them all into the Event Cache prior to attending, and if I don't exchange I just retrieve them again? Figure this is the only way that the trackable itself will get credit for the event.

 

Please let me know!

 

CF =^.^=

[+Cat_Fish]

Sorry, this was supposed to be in the Getting Started forum. Misclicked (maybe I'm a newbie afterall!), please feel free to move.

[+luvvinbird]

The following is strictly an observation on my part. I was recently at a GPS event and I noticed a table set up that someone had marked as a Travel Bug drop-off/pick-up site. I noticed one or two TB's on the table then observed someone literally place a bag of them down. There was a journal with space to enter and take any TB. I also overheard someone say to make sure an entry was made if you left or took a TB. The process seemed organized and familiar with other cachers.

[+The Blorenges]

Usually cachers will do the 'on-line drop' of their trackables into the cache listing a few days ahead of the event date.

 

Then on the day you take them along to the event with you.

 

How trackables are dealt with at the actual event tends to depend on how big the event is: Sometimes they all get dropped onto a table, or into a box, and cachers just swap/exchange/take items as they want. Other events may be more organised and may have a trackable sheet where you can register the arrival of the trackable to the event, then sign your name against it when you take it.

 

For the purposes of the event, it might be useful to attach a temporary mission note to the items (if they don't already have one) so that cachers know the missions.

 

Many cachers worry about their trackables disappearing at events. I like to keep a check on the items I take along - I often keep them close to me and then make a note of the cacher who takes them.

 

MrsB

[AZcachemeister]

Many cachers worry about their trackables disappearing at events.

MrsB

 

And rightly so.

In reviewing some of the events I have attended, I occasionally notice a dozen or more TBs listed in the 'cache'...that happened last year!

 

Personally, I tend to find someone who I think can help the TB I have brought, and ask them if they want to take it. The hand-off is done at the event, but I don't drop the TB until I log my 'Attended' some time later.

 

This probably won't work if you have more than a few TBs to hand-off, but I like to believe it helps prevent them from going missing since I KNOW who I gave them to.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

<snip>

Personally, I tend to find someone who I think can help the TB I have brought, and ask them if they want to take it. The hand-off is done at the event, but I don't drop the TB until I log my 'Attended' some time later.

<snip>

 

 

How true -and- this is exactly what we do. Search out those you know will move the TB along and drop it into their hands. If they are taking a trip in that direction, or you already know them (personally or by their logs).

 

You can log the TB into the event ahead of time, but it really isn't necessary. By not logging ahead of time, it will allow you to use a "visited" log for the TB's that you return with. True, you can place and retrieve to take it with you again. You can simply drop it on the table/in the box -- this is really up to you.

 

We feel a responsibility to those we pick up, after-all, we were the ones that volunteered to pick it up and move it for the person(s) that sent it out, just as we would like them to feel about moving ours.

 

That said, "stuff" happens... once it is out of your hands (properly logged), it shouldn't be of major concern to you. If you dwell on some things too much, it tends to have a negative effect on you.

 

Have fun at your first Event Cache. Now you can put faces to those logs you have read.

 

EDIT: ^*"ΦŞƒ≠₣▒#§ typos

Edited November 11, 2011 by Gitchee-Gummee

[hoosier guy]

At the last event I wnet to there was a table where TBs were laid out. We trusted one another to do the corect logging required.

[+Cat_Fish]

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

 

I definitely feel that I am responsible for the trackables i pick up... Which is why I haven't been able to let one super cute, high miles trackable go yet- I'm so afraid it will fall into the wrong hands. But you're right, I can't obsess over it.

 

So I just "dropped" the ones I intend to take into the event and wrote a note asking any prospective attendees who think they can help a particular traveler out to email me. Unfortunately this is a new location for me, so I don't know many cachers even by name. An adventure all around!

 

It also a great idea to add a temporary goal sheet to each one- I will definitely do this as only 2 of my bugs have one already.

 

Keep the words of advice or warning coming!

 

CF

 

Edited because autocorrect is a PAIN.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Cat_Fish

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Travel Bug forum.